To the sir



, 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Aug. 25, 1896.

M. G'LBDHILL. ORDNANGE.

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-sheen s.

(No Model.)

Patented Aug. 25, 1896.

M. DRILL.

NANGE.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet. 4.

Mfg@ am UNITED STATESN PATENT OFFICE.

MANASSAH GLEDHILL, OF OPENSI'IAVV, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR- TO THE SIR JOSEPH NVHITWORTH & COMPANY, LIMITED, OF 'SAME PLACE.

ORDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,679, dated August 25, 1896. Application filed July 21, 1892. Renewed July 31, 1896. Serial No. 601,205.' (Nd model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MANAssAH- GLEDHILL, director of the Sir Joseph Whitworth & Company, Limited, of Openshaw, Manchester, England, engineers, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of Openshaw, Manchester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to the Manufacture of Ordnance, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 9,561, dated July o, 1887,) of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to the manufacture of ordnance and comprises various improvements, as hereinafter described, in and relating to guns of that class wherein steel tubes, hoops, or rings are placed one upon another in such a manner that together they complete the structure of the body of the gun.

The said invention has for its chief object the construction of a gun by building up a series of tubes, hoops, or rings so formed, iitted together, and united as to insure great strength and durability of the gun while permitting the ready withdrawal or removal of the liner and theinsertion of a new liner without injury to or displacement of the other tubes or hoops; and the said invention comprises a novel manner of providing for the fitting together of the said tubes or hoops with great accuracy and with a determined allowance for endwise adjustment, or for` shrinkage, so that the proper relative position of the parts involved in the structure of the gun can be insured and permanently maintained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a longitudinal central section of a gun constructed according to my said invention. Fig. 1 shows a portion of Fig. 1, drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 2 shows another portion of Fig. 1, also drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a rear or breech end view of the said gun, also drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is partly a side elevation and partly a longitudinal central section, and Fig. 5 is a similar view, both drawn to an enlarged scale, showinglocking-rings,hereinafterdescribed. Fig. 6 is partly a side elevation and partly a longitudinal central section of another gun, illustogether at the breech-end of the gun.

trating a-modification of my said invention. Fig. 7 shows a portion of Fig. 6 drawn to an enlarged scale. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are longitudinal central sections illustrating other modifications of my said invention. Fig. 11 is a rear or breech end view of a gun, illustrating a modification. Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section illustrating a modified form of breech-plug ring, and Fig. 13 is a similar view showing a modified form of liner. Fig. 14 is a detail perspective view of one of the wedges g.

Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

The tubes A, B, and hoop C of the gun are respectively indicated by these letters.

a is theliner or inner lining of the gun.

'One important feature of my said invention is the employment of peculiarly constructed locking-rings b b' between the tubes A B and hoop C at the breech end of the gun, as follows, that is to say, at the breechend of the gun, between the tubes A and B and between the/tube B and hoop C, I form a cavity or recess the walls of which will be the surfaces of the tubes, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. On each of these surfaces I cut a screwthread, and into the cavity thus formed Iinsert one of the said locking-rings, which is screw-threaded on its inner and outer surfaces, as shown in Fig. 4 or in Fig. 5, to it the threads in the cavity or recess, into which the said ring is tightly screwed. In some instances I form segmental or interrupted screw-threads j on the ring and on the surfacesof the tubes or hoops in the said recess or cavity, as shown in Fig. 11,'these segmental threads being so arranged that those on the ring will pass endwise between those in the recess, so that the ring may be freely inserted and then turned far enough round to cause the threads thereon to engage with those of the recess. By these means I secure 'the tubes or hoops firmly and solidly In some instances I split or divide these rings and secure them in place with keys or wedges g, Fig. 3, so that they can be readily removed, as hereinafter described' with reference to the breech-plug ring.

The tubes or hoops of which the gun is IOT) ` composed are preferably made in one piece and are continuously and uniformly tapered throughout their length, so that the required.' diminution in the external diameter of the gun from the breech to the muzzle is obtained without shoulders or sudden changes of thickness, which are very prejudicial to the strength of the tubes. The continuous taper of the liner a greatly facilitates its removal and replacement. Moreover, by the employment of thefsaid continuously and uniformly tapered tubes I can adopt a method of manufaeture-wherein I avoid the necessity for tlre upon the inner tube without any or with but very slight pressure; then, the remaining distance and the angle being known, it is easy to ascertain the exact pressure towhich the tubes will be subjected in forcing the one to its ultimate position upon the other.

The liner a maybe forced home by applying to it hydraulic or other pressure as great in amount as or greater than the total pressure exerted by the powder-gases in the chamber of the gun. The tubes A B and hoop C may be put together by'hydraulic pressure or with shrinkage.

If the outer tube is to be shrunk upon the inner tube, I know, or can ascertain, the exact amount to allow for shrinkage. Moreover, the continuously taper formation of the said tubes greatly facilitates the uniform shrinking of one upon the other, a much lower temf perature being required and the danger of injuring the tubes for hoops being much less than in the case of parallel tubes.A The latter, unless the contraction of. the outer tube is; exactly equal or uniform at all parts, will be liable to have one yend or part bind or become tight, while the other part'or parts, still being free, as the tube continues to shrink Will be drawn against very great frictional resistance toward the xed end or part, thereby injuriously straining the metal; but with taper-tubes this diculty will not exist 4or will be considerably diminished.

When vthe tubes or hoops are to be put together with shrinkage, I prefer that they should be heated to a temperature not exceeding three hundred degrees (300) Fahrenheit.

To facilitate the formation of the tapertubes and the accurate fitting of the one upon the other as above described, I employa mandrel which, in respect. of its diameter and taper formation, is a counterpart or facsimile ofthe inner one of the aforesaid tubes. The outer tube is so fitted to this mandrel that when removed therefrom and placed upon theinner tube it can be placed thereon with very little pressure within a short distance of its ultimate position and can then be forced home with or without shrinkage, as above described. This method of first accurately fitting the taper-tubes to each other within a short distance of their proper relative positions and then forcing one tube home or expanding and shrinking it upon' the other enables me to secure the liner in the gun in such a manner that, although it will not be liable to accidental displacement, it can be readily withdrawn when worn without injury to or displacement. of the other tubes or hoops of which the gunV is built up.

As an alternative to the use of a tube made inone piece continuously taper from end to end, I, in some instances, make the inner tube, that is to say, the A tube, containing the liner, or the B tube, or other intermediate -tube or tubes, in two or more continuously taper pieces or lengths, united by screwing `the said pieces together, the screw-joints being made taper, with a plain or unscrewed portion at the end of each hoop to insure the proper fitting lof the parts together, as shown in Fig. 1 or Fig.. la. Itis obvious that this form of joint, for the purpose herein specilied, is stronger and more reliable than an ordinary rabbeted orsquare-shouldered joint,

and it considerably facilitates the connection and disconnection of the parts.

I sometimes coil wire around the liner a, as shown at c in Figs. 6 and 7, so that when the said liner is in its place there will be a space between it and the A-tube surrounding it occupied by this wire, which will afford a strong and elastic support to the liner, so that it can withstand the stresses due to the firing of the gun without being so tightly forced into the A tube as to make its withdrawal therefrom a very difficult operation.

On the breech end of the liner a I cut a screw-threadfwhereon I it a nut d, which I term the .liner-nut. In the gun shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 I form for the reception of this nut a recess or cavity in the end ofv the A tube, as shown at e in Figs. 1 and 2. Instead of the nut I sometimes form on the liner a solid collar a', whichwill enter the' said recess or cavity, as shown in Fig. 13.

The nut d can be screwed upon the liner before the latter is forced home in the A tube, and aords the means for insuring or assisting to insure the accurate adjustment of the liner to its exact position within the tube and prevents injury to the-latter by forcing the-liner too far into the said tube, that is to say, the nut d or the solid collar, being in closecontaet with the bottom or end of the recess or cavity in the A tube, will limit IOO IIO

the endwise movement or adjustment of the liner, so that in applying the pressure for forcing the liner into the said tube no other precaution in respect of insuring its true position therein or preventing injury to the A tube will be necessary except to ascertain that the nut or collar is properly home against the end of the recess in the said tube. Moreover, I can thus avoid all danger arising from too great contraction of the said tube in shrinking it upon the liner. The said nut d, moreover, protects the screw-thread at the rear end of the liner, and can be readily unscrewed to permit the application of adevice for removing the 'said liner.

I may make the rear end of the liner a. slightly enlarged and screw-thread this portion, as shown in Fig. l2, and recess the inner end of the breech-plug ring and screw-thread the same in such manner as to engage the corresponding screw-thread formed upon the rear end of the liner a..

In. the gun shown in Fig. 8, a single lockingring b is screwed into a recess or cavity formed between the tube A and the hoop C `by shortening the tube B. The tubes A B are in this instance formed with shoulders A' B', which, when the said tubes areV in their proper relative position, abut against each other, as shown.

The A tube at its rear end has provision for the reception of the breech-plug ring f, which is screwed into the said end of the tube and is so arranged that its inner end bears upon the rear face of the liner a and liner-nut d. The breech-plug ring f has the usual segmental or interrupted screw-threads to engage with similar threads on the breech-plug. I sometimes split or divide the breech-plug ring on one side and drive one or more wedges or keys g into the'aperture, as shown'in Fig. 3, to tighten the ring in its place. By this device I greatly facilitate the removal of the said ring, that is to say, instead of having to exert suicient force to unscrew the said ring while its screw-threads are tightly engaged with those of the tube, I can draw out the wedge or key g, and thereby slacken the ring f within the A tube, so that the said ring can be very easily unscrewed. I provide suitable meansfor securing the wedge or key g in place and for turning the said ring in screwing it into or out of the tube. As a modification of the above, I sometimes make the breech-plug ring in two or more parts or segments, which I secure in place by keys or wedges driven in and secured as above described.

The breech-plug is usually cylindrical, but I sometimes make it taper, as shown, for example, in Figs. 9 and 10, either with segmental or continuous screw-threads, to facilitate the opening and closing of the breech.

In some instances I use a hoop screwthreaded internally, as shown at c', Figs. l and 6, for securing together the adjacent ends of the hoop C and tube or hoop 2B, or of other other tubes or hoops.

In the gun shown in Fig. 9 the liner a is enlarged at its rear or breech end and a locking-ring b is screwed into a recess between the said liner and the tube or hoop B. The liner a is formed with a curved shoulder of, and the tube A is correspondingly curved at A2. The breech-plug h is made taper with a continuous screw-thread, and is tted into the breech end of the liner a, which is formed with a corresponding internal screw-thread.

I sometimes provide for facilitating theremoval or withdrawal of the locking-ring by making the same in two parts b2 b3, as shown in Fig. 10. The part b2 is made with an internal screw-thread and is to be inserted before the part b3. The latter is madewith an external screw-thread, and both parts are formed with shoulders, which abut against each other, as shown. The ring b3 is a slack iit on the ring b2, and can therefore be readily unscrewed from the tube or hoop B. The

ring b3 can then be unscrewed from the liner a, which may then be withdrawn. The rings b2 b3 in this case do not require to be split or divided. n

One important advantage arising from my improved construction is that I can make the parts interchangeable, so that if any part of a gun is injured or destroyed it can be readily replaced or renewed. Moreover, the

said invention affords tl1cmeans for so con- 4 structing the gun that its various parts can -be properly fitted together and then taken asunder and very conveniently packed for transport to any distant station, where they can with very simple .appliances be again put together. I thus provide for supplying heavy guns with very little delay to any place where siege or other military operations may be proceeding, or to ships in foreign or colonial stations, or to other places Where such guns may be' required.

I wish it understood that I do not limit myself in the construction of my improved guns to any particular number or thickness of the tubes, nor do I claim generally or otherwise than as means for effecting the object of my improvements as herein set forth the taper formation of the tubes or liners used in built-up guns nor the making of a liner of one continuous taper from end to end, nor do I claim otherwise than when constructed and applied as herein specified the use of screwythreaded rings at the breech end of such guns for securing the tubes or hoops together; but- I claim-.-

IIO

1. In a built-up gun, the combination with I the concentric tubes locked, together, the inner one of which is provided at its rear end with an internally-threaded cylindrical rel externally and screwed into said substantially as described.

3. In a built-up gun, the combination with a plurality of concentric tubes recessed and screw-threadediuternally and externally, of locking-rings formed of a plurality of segmental sections fitted in said recesses, and wedges inserted between the ends of said segmental sections,l substantially as described.

4. In a built-up gun,'tl1e combination with a plural ity of concentric tubes screw-threaded :internally at their breech'ends, of a lockingring formed in two concentric parts screwthreaded upon their opposite `peripheries and correspondingly shouldered upon their adjarecesses,

a plurality cent .peripheries and tted between the breech ends of said tubes, substantially as described.

5. In a built-up gun, the con'ibination with of concentric tubes, of a liner a, and a breech-plug ring split or divided 10ngitudinally, and a removable wedge or key fitted between the divided ends of said ring, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MANASSAII GLEDHILL. WVitnesses: Y

II. S. CARINGTON, J. M. GLEDHILIY.. 

